The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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U.N. disarmament confab to start as Russia's war raises nuke fears
NEW YORK - A U.N. conference on nuclear disarmament will kick off Monday after multiple delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, as Russia's war in Ukraine heightens fears nuclear weapons may be used and casts a shadow on the prospect of their elimination.
In a bid to inject fresh momentum toward nuclear disarmament efforts, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, representing the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, plans to deliver a speech in person on the first day of the four-week Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in New York.
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Japan gov't panel to propose another record minimum-wage hike
TOKYO - A Japanese government panel is expected to propose raising the average minimum wage for fiscal 2022 by a record 30 yen or more from 930 yen ($7) an hour, sources familiar with the plan said Monday, as the country battles accelerating inflation.
The focal point of discussion at the panel is how much the recent rise in inflation should be taken into account, with representatives from labor and management failing to reach an agreement at the previous round of discussions late July.
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U.S. House Speaker Pelosi to visit Taiwan Tues. night: Taiwan media
TAIPEI - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi is likely to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday night and meet with President Tsai Ing-wen the following day, Taiwanese media reported.
Taiwan's Presidential Office and the Foreign Ministry declined to comment Monday. A visit by a U.S. congressional leader is sure to draw ire from China, which claims the democratic self-ruled island as its own.
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Japan's economic security law takes effect amid regional tensions
TOKYO - Part of a new Japanese economic security law came into force Monday to secure the stable supply of vital products including semiconductors and to support the development of crucial technologies amid heightened geopolitical concerns.
The crucial part of the law, enacted in May, took effect ahead of other provisions as China's growing influence intensifies global competition in the high-technology field and with the security environment rapidly changing amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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Japan ruling party says parliamentary speech for ex-PM Abe postponed
TOKYO - Japan's main ruling party informed the opposition Monday of its intention to postpone a parliamentary speech to mourn slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe until this fall, dropping its earlier plan for this week due to criticism.
Senior executives of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan also settled on a three-day extraordinary Diet session from Wednesday.
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Dead Sri Lankan detainee's family to request judicial panel review case
NAGOYA - The family of a Sri Lankan woman who died in detention at a central Japan immigration facility will file next week a complaint with a judicial panel seeking a review of the case after prosecutors dropped charges against immigration officials, their lawyers said Monday.
Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali's family will on Aug. 8 make the submission requesting the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution assess the decision to clear the officials they believe are criminally liable for Wishma's March 6, 2021, death.
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Japan demands early release of national detained in Myanmar
TOKYO - Japan has urged Myanmar to release as early as possible a Japanese national who was detained in Yangon at the scene of an anti-coup protest, a government spokesman said Monday.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told a daily press briefing that the government is making its utmost efforts to secure the release of the man, who is in his 20s and reported by Myanmar media to be documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota.
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Economic minister Yamagiwa given startup-nurturing portfolio
TOKYO - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday appointed economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa to the newly-created post of minister in charge of startups as part of the government's innovation push it believes is critical to driving economic growth.
The government is scheduled to draw up a five-year plan by the end of this year to achieve a 10-fold increase in investment in startups. Yamagiwa will oversee the crafting of the plan.
